If you or someone that you love is thinking about trying to kick a drug or alcohol addiction for good, then there is no doubt that you are thinking about the best way in which to not only detox but also improve the chances of lasting sobriety.

While some people feel as though non-medicated detox is the best way to go about trying to quit drugs or alcohol, there is no doubt that there is a better way.

For that reason, we have decided to help by breaking down the many benefits of medication assisted treatment. Let’s get started.

Medication can ease the painful withdrawal symptoms

One of the top reasons why people who try to quit cold turkey on their own fail is because they simply cannot overcome the physical and mental pain that comes with trying to detox on their own. In fact, in one study of detox facilities, it was found that treatment medications were found in nearly 80 percent of all detoxes.

The reason why is because the side effects of detox can range widely from mild reactions to actual deadly ones. Of course, the reaction will depend highly on a few things, such as the substance that a patient is addicted to and how long the addiction has lasted.

Overall, the primary reasons why medications are used are to help the patient’s brain stabilize, reduce symptoms of withdrawal, and keep the patient safe and comfortable.

It is often the first stage of a successful addiction treatment

The sad truth is that while many people are struggling with addiction out there who want to get clean and stay healthy, many fail to maintain a sober lifestyle for an extended time. Luckily, there are many ways in which people who struggle with addiction can improve their chances of long-term success.

Medication assisted detox can help as a crucial building block towards recovery because it allows a patient to fully free their body from the toxins of the substance that they are addicted to. From there, they can then begin the hard and important work of analyzing their behaviors and gaining healthy and productive ways to maintain a sober lifestyle.

It can quite literally save your life

While we have already talked about how some people tragically end up passing away as they try to detox from a substance or substances that they are addicted to. There are a lot of factors that go into how dangerous a detox can be, here are the most important factors to keep in mind:

• How the patient administered the substance
• Bodyweight
• Gender
• Whether the primary substance was mixed with other drugs or alcohol
• The patient’s medical history and mental health
• The frequency in which the drug was taken
• The size of the dose that was taken
• The length of time that the patient used the substance

In cases like these, it is always better to be safe than sorry. For that reason, medication assisted detox is always recommended for people looking to get sober, stay healthy, and live a fuller life.